Bloggs. I think
we’re looking for a doctor or a clinic, and possibly one in the
same line of work as the one where Jack Klein died. A plastic
surgery facility, or something like that.”
He whistled.
“Wide net.”
“I know. So we
start at the narrowest end. Who can access the longitudinal study
data?”
“Beth could be
a good person to find out.”
“Yes. We need
to find this ‘Gregorio Goncalves’ too. False passports and
identities aren’t cheap, and neither are airfares to Brazil.
Someone with money is behind him, and behind Nick’s disappearance.
What do you know about clinics alleged to be offering ISH
here?”
“Not much.
That’s very hush hush.”
I raised an
eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have thought that would be much of a problem
for a clever investigative reporter like you.”
He grinned.
“You’re right. I haven’t looked into it before, but I can now.”
“Concentrate
on those centred in the southeast for now. We can widen it later.
We’re looking for a Brazilian connection—a doctor, owner, investor,
someone like that.”
“What if it’s
someone who just has friends in Brazil?”
“Whoever it is
wanted their help in something illegal, and not just a minor crime.
The connection will be stronger than just going to the same medical
school. I’m thinking family, marriage, something like that.”
“Makes sense.
There must be dozens of clinics in or near London who handle
plastic surgery.”
“Hundreds,
probably. If you do your ferreting around, I’ll start looking at
websites, see if there’s anything obvious. If you come up with some
clinic names, we can focus on that. And if Beth’s willing to help,
that might narrow things down too.”
“The police
should be doing this.”
“Not sure they
could do it faster than we can. All we need is something to toss at
Andy. The sooner, the better.”
He finished
his coffee and chucked the cup at the nearby rubbish bin. It landed
neatly inside. “Wish everything I did went that well. You
done?”
I disposed of
my cup, and we walked back towards Hyde Park Corner to catch the
Tube. “I bet there are more Jack Kleins out there we haven’t heard
about,” Harry said. “It’s criminal.”
“It’s so
bloody stupid too. Dying of vanity.”
“Dying of age
discrimination, you mean.”
“Yes,
true.”
“This could
all be a dead end. Nick’s disappearance might have nothing to do
with ISH treatment.”
“I know, but I
don’t know what else to do.”
“You have to
try. He’s worth it.”
Harry was
happily engaged to Angus, and his relationship with Nick had been
over long before I’d ever met either of them. But Harry still
carried a depth of affection for Nick that I found oddly sweet and
rather comforting. If anything happened to me, Harry would be
there—with Angus—to help Nick through. And Harry would fight just
as hard to find out what happened to Nick as I would.
I pulled him
into a hug, which made him laugh with surprise. “Steady on, Anton.
It’s not Gay Pride week.”
“Bugger off.”
I let him go. “Nick’s lucky in his friends.”
“And his
lovers.”
“Yes, he is.”
We were at the Tube station now. “I’ve got to go this way.”
“Yeah, and I’m
the other way. I’ll let you know what I find as soon as I do.”
“Thanks.”
Beth called
while I was on the bus from South Kensington. “My friend tells me
that in the last three months, apart from Nick, they’ve lost two
people from the study. One was a suspicious, unexplained death, and
the other an apparent suicide, though the body was never
found.”
“Really? How
much more do you know?”
“That’s it,
sorry. I’ve already sent the information and approximate dates to
Andy, but I thought you’d want to know. That suicide rang alarms
bells for me.”
“And me. Well
done. Beth, I need another favour. Does your friend know who would
have access to the personal data on that study? Names, addresses
and so on?”
“Already asked
her, and
we’re looking for a doctor or a clinic, and possibly one in the
same line of work as the one where Jack Klein died. A plastic
surgery facility, or something like that.”
He whistled.
“Wide net.”
“I know. So we
start at the narrowest end. Who can access the longitudinal study
data?”
“Beth could be
a good person to find out.”
“Yes. We need
to find this ‘Gregorio Goncalves’ too. False passports and
identities aren’t cheap, and neither are airfares to Brazil.
Someone with money is behind him, and behind Nick’s disappearance.
What do you know about clinics alleged to be offering ISH
here?”
“Not much.
That’s very hush hush.”
I raised an
eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have thought that would be much of a problem
for a clever investigative reporter like you.”
He grinned.
“You’re right. I haven’t looked into it before, but I can now.”
“Concentrate
on those centred in the southeast for now. We can widen it later.
We’re looking for a Brazilian connection—a doctor, owner, investor,
someone like that.”
“What if it’s
someone who just has friends in Brazil?”
“Whoever it is
wanted their help in something illegal, and not just a minor crime.
The connection will be stronger than just going to the same medical
school. I’m thinking family, marriage, something like that.”
“Makes sense.
There must be dozens of clinics in or near London who handle
plastic surgery.”
“Hundreds,
probably. If you do your ferreting around, I’ll start looking at
websites, see if there’s anything obvious. If you come up with some
clinic names, we can focus on that. And if Beth’s willing to help,
that might narrow things down too.”
“The police
should be doing this.”
“Not sure they
could do it faster than we can. All we need is something to toss at
Andy. The sooner, the better.”
He finished
his coffee and chucked the cup at the nearby rubbish bin. It landed
neatly inside. “Wish everything I did went that well. You
done?”
I disposed of
my cup, and we walked back towards Hyde Park Corner to catch the
Tube. “I bet there are more Jack Kleins out there we haven’t heard
about,” Harry said. “It’s criminal.”
“It’s so
bloody stupid too. Dying of vanity.”
“Dying of age
discrimination, you mean.”
“Yes,
true.”
“This could
all be a dead end. Nick’s disappearance might have nothing to do
with ISH treatment.”
“I know, but I
don’t know what else to do.”
“You have to
try. He’s worth it.”
Harry was
happily engaged to Angus, and his relationship with Nick had been
over long before I’d ever met either of them. But Harry still
carried a depth of affection for Nick that I found oddly sweet and
rather comforting. If anything happened to me, Harry would be
there—with Angus—to help Nick through. And Harry would fight just
as hard to find out what happened to Nick as I would.
I pulled him
into a hug, which made him laugh with surprise. “Steady on, Anton.
It’s not Gay Pride week.”
“Bugger off.”
I let him go. “Nick’s lucky in his friends.”
“And his
lovers.”
“Yes, he is.”
We were at the Tube station now. “I’ve got to go this way.”
“Yeah, and I’m
the other way. I’ll let you know what I find as soon as I do.”
“Thanks.”
Beth called
while I was on the bus from South Kensington. “My friend tells me
that in the last three months, apart from Nick, they’ve lost two
people from the study. One was a suspicious, unexplained death, and
the other an apparent suicide, though the body was never
found.”
“Really? How
much more do you know?”
“That’s it,
sorry. I’ve already sent the information and approximate dates to
Andy, but I thought you’d want to know. That suicide rang alarms
bells for me.”
“And me. Well
done. Beth, I need another favour. Does your friend know who would
have access to the personal data on that study? Names, addresses
and so on?”
“Already asked
her, and
Similar Books
